Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) appears set to lose his bid to win New Hampshire's open US Senate seat, as does Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, a Democrat.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) looks like she has beaten back a challenge from Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard.

The results may open up new leadership opportunities in both houses.

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the minority whip in the US House of Representatives, is poised to become majority leader should Republicans retake the House, as is anticipated.

If Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) loses a hotly contested battle to
conservative Tea Party-backed Republican Sharron Angle, Sen. Charles
Schumer (D-N.Y.) is likely to run for party leader in the Senate, where
Democrats are expected to maintain their majority.